Dear U.S. beekeeper,

Recent studies by Dr. Stephen Martin and associates have found that there
is apparently a benign form of DWV that can out compete the virulent form,
thus allowing colonies to survive despite varroa infestation.

If this is true, it raises the possibility that we may be able to minimize
the effect of varroa by inoculating our colonies with the benign form of
DWV.

We obtained funding from Project Apism to survey bee colonies across the
U.S. to determine the distribution of the strains of DWV.  We're especially
interested in adult bee samples from feral and survivor stock that have
survived for some time without treatment.  We also need reference samples
from "normal" managed apiaries.

If you are interested in contributing samples, please write to Randy at
[log in to unmask], with the word "kit" in the subject line, the sort(s)
of hive(s) that you're able to sample, and the state in which the hives are
located.  Please also include your mailing address.

I will reply, and send a postpaid sampling kit.  It should take less than
an hour of your time to contribute to this research.

Instructions for sampling are at
http://scientificbeekeeping.com/scibeeimages/Sampling-Instructions-PDF.pdf

I'm getting the sampling kits together and hope to get 500 samples back
from beekeepers across the U.S.  Perhaps we can identify one of the
mechanisms by which some colonies are able to survive varroa infestation.
If indeed it's due to a benign strain of DWV, the possibility exists that
we could inoculate our colonies or queens with that strain, and possibly
shift DWV dynamics across the nation.

Thanks,
Randy

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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